Kia Sportage SL 2.0L in Malaysia – technical walkaround

The new Kia Sportage SL was launched in Malaysia last week, and while we haven’t had the chance to drive the car yet as all available stocks are being assigned for delivery to customers, but we were given a technical walkaround of the new SUV yesterday. Like all of the new Schreyer cars, it’s quite a massive difference from the car it replaces.

At the front, the most prominent feature is the huge chrome grille with the ‘Schreyer Line’ surrounding it, a common design feature on all new Kias.

Turn the ignition on and the headlamp’s LED daytime running lights come on. Turn off the ignition and the ‘follow me home’ feature allows the headlamps remain on for 30 seconds to light up the path to your door.

The side view is dominated by the large 18 inch alloy wheels with a two tone finish wrapped with 235/55R18 tyres, as well as a thick C pillar design. The Sportage takes on a more straight cut techno age design compared to its H-badged sibling’s more fluidic design.

Kia has chosen to offer the Sportage in just one high spec and premium priced variant, so they’ve also thrown in a panoramic sunroof. The front half of the sunroof can be manipulated, while the rear half is fixed but still provides a view of the sky.

Interestingly, Kia’s design team has decided to separate the brake lamp from the turn signals, which are positioned lower near the bumper. There’s also a rear spoiler, and a reverse parking system that uses four sensors.

The colour scheme on the interior is predominantly dark grey, which should be relatively easy to maintain. Build quality in term of panel gaps were quite decent. The display backlighting is red.

The instrument panel features a three section design with a multi-info display integrated right into the middle of the speedometer. There’s also an analog water temp display, something that’s slowly going missing from modern cars. The seats are finished in leather and the driver’s seat is 8 way adjustable. The rear bench has a 60:40 split.

There’s a start-stop button which allows you to start the car without inserting the key fob into a socket.

The audio unit has a built in 6-CD changer with MP3 support, and it also has a USB cable included for you to plug your iPod/iPhone in. There’s a little tray near where the USB port is so you have somewhere to place your device. The audio system is uses 7 speakers – 4 door speakers, 2 tweeters, and one subwoofer built into the right side of the luggage area.

Flanking the USB port are two vehicle power sockets so you can charge two phones or perhaps one phone and one GPS device at the same time, and there’s another one in the boot as well. The glove box has a cooler function.

The steering wheel holds the controls for the audio, the cruise control system, and there’s also two buttons to control the Bluetooth hands-free system on one of the lower spokes of the steering wheel. The accelerator pedal is floor mounted.

The climate control system has a dual zone feature which allows two separate temperatures for the left and right side of the cabin. There’s also something which Kia calls the Clean Air system, which is actually an ion generator.

One of the more interesting features of the car is how the reverse camera display is shown. Notice that there’s no big LCD screen at the audio unit area to show the reverse camera. The reverse view is instead displayed in a little window on the left of the rear view mirror.

You can view the video above for a demo of how it looks like. The rear view mirror also has an electro-chromic function which automatically dims to reduce glare from an approaching vehicle’s headlamps.

The luggage area is 740 litres in volume and measures 800mm long, 1,178mm wide and 785mm tall. There’s a luggage net and a cargo screen provided. If you lift up the luggage floor and hook it up, you’ll find a full size spare tyre.

We’re keen to drive the Sportage to find out how it performs but all we can do is cite figures now. The 2.0 litre engine in the Sportage is similar to the unit in the Tucson and is one of the more powerful normally aspirated port injection 2.0 litre engines around, producing 166 hp and 197 Nm of torque thanks to its dual CVVT system, which varies valve control on both the intake and exhaust. The engine also uses a drive by wire throttle and a variable intake system.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission which has manual shifting capabilities. The gearbox sends power to a AWD system that only engages the rear wheels when necessary, although it has a LOCK system for you to force power to all four wheels in a 50:50 front to rear split at speeds of under 30km/h.

The Sportage uses ASD dampers, which stand for Amplitude Selective Damper. Under normal road conditions, the sliding ASD valve allows for a smooth ride, but when you drive on rough roads or are cornering, the ADS valve becomes fixed and allows a higher damping force for better stability.

The AWD system is also supported by an ESP system which includes ABS brakes, Cornering Brake Control, Brake Assist, a Traction Control system, a Downhill Brake Control system designed to help the driver maintain the vehicle’s speed on steep and downhill descends, and Hill-start Assist Control which helps keep the brakes on while you lift your foot off the brakes to begin accelerating – this is to ensure there is minimal backward rolling on steep ascends. In the event that you crash, there are 6 airbags and active headrests.

We’ll be back with a test drive report as soon as we can get our hands on a test drive unit, so stay tuned!
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After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.

no offence, but it’s nothing unless the few koreans that u asked are professional journalists, like Paul and co. just like if some malaysians that i know told me that myvi is better than persona. they could be right and could be wrong. those are their own perceptions. But i personally think that NOW it’s the time for the Koreans vehicles to shine!

Look nice, but korean car as we know, not reliable, high maintenance, spare part expensive, no resale value, no trade in value, my friend hyundai matrix trade in less than 20k value…Korean car only better than proton, thats why offer so many gadgets, redesign the whole unit with cheap pricel, but people still sceptical about korean car, still opt for Japan car even 10- 15k expensive. Feel no proud, no prestige if own Korean car, weird dashboard look, smart driver will pick TOYOTA or HONDA.
Look just ok but very reliable, good maintenance track record, god resale value…
say no for korean cars………………..

A fantastic debut! Should really push CRV and alikes in search of better fittings and specs, hopefully.

On the other hand, wish the dealer will improve on its overall brand loyalty and customer management such as product and pricing management. I recalled there were much sour ownership experience previous with the same brand, especially the MPV.

once you used floor mounted accelerator pedals (pedal minyak) you will never want to go back to hanging pedals, since the floor pedals feels much more natural. i remember that my right foot aches when i was driving the myvi instead of 20 year old mercedes with the floor pedals..

yeah its good to still have a good old fashion water temperature meter.

That red lighted meter remind me of those China made RM 99 DVD player.
LED deco light copy Audi, real lamp copy VW, Interior look like China made av sys, who design that ugly gear shift ? same as the on Forte, Pls at lease gated shift lah ! all this for RM 139 K.
Tucson from the parent co. is a much better choice, cheaper too.

Heard that they would CKD it in a few months times, better hang on for the price to drop, if it is true.

The only drawback that i can figure out is the exterior chrome looks uneasy (easy anyway, need black spray only) and lack of integrated GPS (also easy, buy dedicated garmin). Other than that, just perfect. Driving dynamic review please…can’t wait

Why only hantam CRV, the reason is they know they cannot beat CRV sales figure.. People still buy CRV than this second class korean car.. CRV oledi 4-5 years i believe CRV still leading, if u not believe me next three or 4 months u buys motor trader and check most buy SUV from July to Oct 2011. we know the result oledi. CRV, CRV.
Same like lousy forte cannot beat sales figure for civic still dominate after 5 years..
Ha ha haa… its fact dun get angry bro..

Now I think CRV become the 2nd Class Car. Have you see the CRV 2012? So boring and purely 2nd class, even 2nd hand is better.
Honda too complicant out this days without any rival. Xtrail? Vitara? Forget it.
I drove both Tucson/Sportage vs CRV (for few years), then you’ll realized the so-called Power of Dream has being totally under-power, over-price and the worst case, back-dated design.
This is the time of “The Rise of the K-Car” and “The Fallen of Jap-end”

U though owning audi is proud ar ? My 1st year of owning an a4 , oil leak and aircond died which will cost me a bomb if there is no warranty and the parts took forever to arrive. I feel ashame to own an AUDI.

this is not the highest end version as there’re a couple of missing features from the top range version such as ventilated seats (the switch is supposed to be next to the gear lever) and dual exaust… well at least compared to the US version.

Hi paul, I went to the show room last week to have a look at the sportage and if I’m not mistaken, the tail lamp is not powered by LED but a normal lamp, it seems like a LED and it is actually design to put in LED, but if you look deeper inside, it is not LED.

Anyway, I’ll go to the show room to have a look again to confirm this.

Look it got myself a Stalker fan, David my boy.
Let see some Fact vs Biased
The red lighted display in the middle of the speedo meter look exactly in those GC DVD Player sold in Carrefour – Fact.
Front lamp LED copying Audi – Fact.
Read lamp coying VW tiguan – Fact.
Ugly gear shift without gated, compare it with Tuson gated shift u would too agreed – Fact.
Sportage CKD at lower price, lot of other too wish for – Fact.
David only go against those who give negative fact only korean car, but quiet when he see other give baseless bashing on japanese & local car – Biased.

Quit playing the Fact vs. Biased game. We know you love the Japs, nuff’ said!! Don’t you even get the fact that the reason why it has Audi-VW-esque cues is because of the designer!

-You expect colour graphics on a 138k Sportage? Come on, even most cars in THAT price range doesn’t have it, bar the Mitsubishi ASX. It isn’t that shabby, come on!!

-Front lamp LED copying Audi. Rubbish. You forgot, Mazda, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and more has LED’s on their headlamps.

-Rear lights mimicking the Tiguan. Remember who designed Kias of today.

-Ugly gear shift. Then, may i say that those you find in VW’s of today should be considered ugly as well!! How about Audis, Mercedes, as well as BMW’s? Aren’t they having closely similar designs?

-Well, if it’s CKD, and at a lower price, it’s definitely welcome. For now, it’s fully imported, so it’s rather reasonable. At least they didn’t price it past CR-V territory, man!!

And, unfortunately, i’m not biased. If you think i’m biased, then kindly explain why my family still keeps an Innova at home, and i drive it at times when i need a spare car. Mind you, i enjoy the space and comfort it provides, so it fits what it sets out to do.

Just because i don’t go to bash Jap bashers, you call me biased? I wonder how such ignorant people like you can come to such conclusions, when you try to quash dissent on us. Look at Toyota, Honda. For that amount of money paid for their products, better cars are available in the form of Chevrolets, Mazdas, Nissans, Peugeots, Hyundais, Kias, Ford, Mitsubishi, even Suzuki!!

We ( the likes of Kumar San, King, jalan54, turboman, tiadaid etc) bash people like you is because people like you, Maserati, Mask Ryder all only bash based on sentiment, without hard facts to back it up. We’re not saying that you have an agenda, it’s more that people like you who hasn’t waken up to smell the coffee from other car manufacturers, in which gives us more choices and options, thus democraticizing the car market share.

Well, what do you have to say now, then? Remember, you’re going against a sea of car lovers who want cars to be better, with REAL improvements, not just a bloody cosmetic job, and a price hike!!

I have truly given up on Jolo/Maserati a few posts ago. You just cant reason with unreasonable ppl. Wasted too much time typing on Paultan to reason with him. Time lost forever than can be used for more productive activities.

Well, car manufacturers do copy from one another from time to time. Notice the flat bottomed steering wheel in the vastly overpriced Vios TRD Sportivo. Wonder where did toyota get that idea from. The word V comes into mind.

Turboman,how are you keeping?Been busy of late?haven’t heard from you in quite a while mate.Fully agree with what you said.I have been telling our David to just leave them be as it’s pointless and a waste of time.You take it easy mate and keep in touch with the rest of the fellows more often.

Thanks Turboman. It’s good to see you guys giving a equally powerful reply to counter the lies and deceit these people are trying to spread. Bunch of losers who can’t accept the facts, yet go ahead to bash the Koreans and those logical thinkers viciously.

Hi Kumar san , yeah you are right. Those bashers are like cancer cells that won’t go away. I think they truly loves to annoy us and at the same time enjoy getting bashed back.

Hey David, hope you are doing fine :) . When i read what they wrote, it kinda stress me up and intimidate us to engage war with them…so i just ignore anything that comes from them. Also lazy to thumbs them down nowaways.
Guaranteed that they won’t have much to say when no one replies to them.

I am looking for a great weekend so reading what bashers wrote in here, certainly takes the mood away . Have a great weekend guys :)

still, the name KIA does not REALLY makes the owner proud.
Perhaps, even a not-so-good FORTUNER owner feel better?
Doubt so too…

We are at the edge of value vs image cycle, at least for me.
IMHO, I rather skip and wait for another ride. Why? Because whichever way I choose, there is no win-win, therefore I go for other needs that I can achieved win-win scenario.

Japanese CRV, ASX vs Korean Sportage,Tucson war will not end so easily.
How would you like your friends to see you in?
– Stylish?
– Value?
-Oooohh Ahhh?
– Simply not bothered?

i was at the glenmarie showroom last wk but no salesperson came to service me. just helped myself to the car, looks great in metal. kind of hoping for gate type gear shift but it was not so. however,i like the driver seat many adjustments settings, cool. particularly like the passive safety features n full size spare tyre. would like to find out on the service schedule n how good are the mechanics there. really seriously considering of going for this model, anyone hv any idea on fc? i can use up 6000km per mth, and there r frens recommend diesel suv, and there’s actyon n santa fe available….yet to chk out these two. ahhh, choices to make….. but kia hv come to fight in this segment with this high spec model, i am oledi 90% sold…. just some further fact finding on scheduled maintenance before i make a final decision

Certainly a very impressive and definately a well designed vehicle.Real value for your money and loaded to the hilt with kit.There is nothing out there in the market currently that can even remotely come near it for comparison,except for it’s elder brother,the Tuscon.CRV is nowhere.

If you prefer a diesel ride,then go for the Sorento or Santa Fe if you like it.I tested the Santa Fe,the engine is very grunty and is seamless in it’s power delivery.Very well built too but it sways and rolls a bit corners at slightly higher than moderate speeds,but i drive fast so opinions may differ here bro.Other than that,it’s a very nice ride if you like SUV’s.

At the end of the day,you buy what you like to own and what fits your requirements but i strongly recommend the Sportage nevertheless.Or any of the Korean diesel SUV’s if you wish to ply the diesel route.Their latest diesel offerings are very good.

thanks kumar… yalor, frens keep telling me go for diesel suv, due to my high milage. but then again, the appeal of sportage is high, so probably go for a test drive next week n then decide. there is no one perfect suv that fits everything, but for now i think this sportage fits my requirements at this point of time. so, the test drive then do some checking on their service centres, at least in jb, pg and kl…. me travel a lot, so need to find out if these guys r good n relaible, then decide… this will be my gift to myself, sort of reward lor for the love of driving, travel n seeing new places (and check out local chicks, see only no touch…hehe)

hey guys, did my test drive oledi… works well for me, the engine is smooth n ready… given the specs here n money to pay for it is a good deal, just love the driver seat electrical adjustment, so many ways to get the ideal butt positioning… hehe, better than gps precision. this suv will suits my needs for now n probably 5 yrs, until i need something bigger, which i doubt, cabin can suit my needs for various functions.put in my booking oledi, expect to arrive after raya, this gives me some time to dispose of my old sedan car. just for my upgrade to suv, to meet my needs. welcome world, the era of fun driving and chicks checking. oh yes, if my wife or her friends read my comment, chicks checking only see ah… no touch, it is every man’s everyday activity, second nature to breathing… hehe

Nice design but plastic look like cheap car, rm 138k is not so cheap when 2nd hand value, maintenance cost considered. Sooner or later, naza will ckd and then price will sure drop again, just like last old sportage.

Seems like many outside of Malaysia welcome this news :) Shared this on the FB fan page (www.facebook.com/advancedtechKOR) and thx for the visits to the blog! Keep up the great work and happy Friday from Korea!

Paul, from reviews around the world the common criticism is the little harsh ride. but they never mentioned anything the Amplitude Selective Damper. Is it malaysian exclusive? What other markets with the 2.0 theta engine?

Excellent review of this Sportage however Naza don’t
provide demo car for all branches or dealers to view or
test drive. So sad when contacted all branches or dealer no
Demo car or car to view. This is the worst marketing
Strategy of Naza after advertising and road show no car to view.
Hope KIA will rethink of Naza poor marketing strategy?

I went to KIA office in Kuantan at 2pm on Friday and the whole showroom is without a soul with many NAZA cars without KIA Sportage. How can a showroom without an employee there just because it’s Friday. I was there for over 30 minutes and I could easily drive off 10 cars only if I know how to steal cars.

Really scared is that even with 5 years W, if the service centre is empty, who know what will happen to your car.

I have the intention to buy Kia Sportage but looking around the showroom and service area must have make me rethink of buying one……is other NAZA showroom the same???

i’m looking forward to buy this car. unfortunately, one thing still bothering my mind. how about the fuel consumption? well, at this moment, the price still stuck below RM2/litre. in future, we might not know. hopefully it will not become another fuel sucking car

I went to Kia Naza Kuantan to test drive Kia Sportage at 2pm on Friday but really regret to said that for full 30 mins, I didn’t see a soul at the show room and I may just drive off few cars without anyone knowing if I know how to start without the keys.

Seeing the showroom and the service area make me rethink of buying the car. Is other area NAZA showrooms the same………what if I left my car there without any security at all. I have been to Toyota service in Kuantan and they are alright and I was s Toyota user for the past decade and intend to buy a Kia Sportage for my wife and the trip to Naza showroom make me rethink again for what for a 5 year W if no one to service..

Design wise and on paper specs, this car is a winner. Unfortunately i live in Malaysia where i need to serve the loan for 7 years at the least. Hence I will wait and see whether the korean car could be a “hassle free” in terms of post purchase ownership/maintenance experience. I drive a a second hand T for 10 yrs and it didnt give me any problem (of course wear and tear parts sure kene tukar mah). Just my 2 sen. Cheers

I had a look at Kia Sportage in the Kia showroom yesterday and liked what I saw. I want to buy a SUV for joining expedition for long trips. I have 2 questions for Paul Tan or anyone. Q1 – Is Sportage strong enough to join the expeditions (my expedition friends said CRV would not be strong enough)? Q2 – Does Sportage have the reputation for reliability either in Malaysia or USA? Thanks.

A friend of me drive a KIA SPORTAGE 1997, i think.
The car can’t start after he forgot to switch off the light. Till today since early November 2012, the mechanic can’t rectify the problem. Can anyone recommend the mechanic or workshop for the model? Thank you

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